The Shadow of his Memory
by angelle-wings
Summary: Edea takes Ringabel around Florem to go trick or treating, they both learn that the true treat was not the candy they collected along the way but the feelings and memories of spending the evening together.


The sun had set and, if the streets weren't noisy earlier, it became even more crowded and noisier now. But Edea, Ringabel, Tiz, Agnes and Airy knew that this was Florem's nature and paid no mind to it at all. With jumping from one world to another, awakening crystal after crystal has become almost a daily habit. Knowing what each city was as simple as knowing their own names by now.

Both Tiz and Agnes were in one room at the inn of Florem. Agnes wasn't feeling well after awakening the crystal. Thus Tiz has decided to stop by Florem before continuing forward. She wasn't able to move around and almost fainted by the entrance. Worried, Tiz volunteered to stay by her side. Edea and Ringabel stayed at the second room, which was originally meant for both Tiz and Ringabel. There, they waited for Tiz to return.

Usually, Edea wouldn't have minded sitting with Ringabel in the same room. But, this time it was suffocating to be in a room with an aching silence. All she thought was to run and hide anywhere away from this room. It is nothing unusual if Ringabel's chatter filled the room but somehow it is unusual when he didn't say a word.

Ringabel was leaning against the wooden door staring at the ground. Not once, since they entered Florem, had he looked Edea in the eye or even shared a single word with her. As for Edea, she sat by the edge of the bed uncomfortable with the eerie silence that settled between them. She had never hoped more in her life than for Ringabel to speak even complete nonsense at this point. Edea hated everything about him recently, the silence and the blank expression he wore. Sometimes it felt as if he drifted into an entirely different world. And sometimes it felt like he was a different person than the Ringabel she knew.

She shook her head at the thought. No- she wasn't supposed to think that way, after all, Ringabel is still Ringabel. Flirtatious, disturbing and a walking-head-ache even if he didn't seem that way at that moment. She couldn't blame him. They all have been on an edge recently, and of course he was also no exception.

Edea decided to take a walk around the room, and hoped that a change of pace would somehow kill the unusual thoughts that were formed in her head. There was nothing interesting she saw in the room, besides the beds, a painting of Florem which she has seen countless of times now, the door and side table. She had been here so many times now that even the room had become boring for her. All she had to entertain herself was the window and, as she started to stare out of it, it hit her.

"Ah!" she yelled and smacked her palm against the window sill. Her voice was all that was needed to make Ringabel jump and snap out of his thoughts.

"What's wrong, Edea?!" He rushed to her side, eyes widened he tried looking of the window but didn't have the chance to. Edea grabbed his hands forcing him to look her.

"Ringabel, I forgot!" She clutched his hands even tighter, and her face turned to a pale white.

"Forgot what, Edea!?" He asked staring at her eyes, and he wasn't able to swallow his own saliva.

She took a deep breath. "It's… Halloween! Ringabel, how could I forget that today, of all days, is halloween!?"

"Hello-win?" He tried pronouncing it, it felt heavy and foreign on his tongue, it was the first he heard of the word. "Edea… What is this you call 'hello-win'?"

She gasped she leaned forward looking him in the eye, "You mean… You haven't ever celebrated halloween!?"

"I am… afraid not." Ringabel tried to avoid her gaze but, no matter how much he looked away, he could feel her view piercing through him. "Edea, you are too cl-"

"Ringabel, listen." Edea interrupted, her breath tickled his skin and her sweet-smelling fragrance stronger than ever, "Halloween is a day you dress up and go around and get candy from people. You knock at their door and they give… candy!"

"Candy!" she repeated her eyes lit at the mention of the word. "You can get free candy from strangers!"

" I- I see." He stuttered. "Now can you…"

She looked down at his hands that she was touching. She looked back to find Ringabel's cheeks a bright red and Edea quickly let go and took a step back.

"S-sorry. I got carried away…" She didn't dare meet his gaze and neither did he dare look at her.

"I-it's okay." Ringabel answered scratching his head.

The bustling from the outside has filled the silence between them and both of them stared out the window. It was the first glimpse that Ringabel was able to see the city celebrating this holiday. He may have come before the sun set, but the lights shone at this hour created a sight completely new to what he had seen before before.

Usually Florem was a city of beautiful women but tonight, many men and women gathered and, of course, children. They all were dressed in unusual attires, some resembling the monsters Edea and Ringabel had seen in their journey. While others were dressed as witches and vampires. The town was decorated with streamers of orange and black with similar colored flowers hanged from one building to another. There were statues of skeletons, strings put together to resemble webs and spiders at each part of the town. By each door step there were pumpkins, carved to look different from the other. The land of Florem was well known for its style but it was the first that both Ringabel and Edea had the chance to seen it look like this.

"You know, I used to go around with my sisters in costumes around the neighborhood every halloween, it feels weird to not be with them this halloween…" She paused. "Besides, even with Agnes being in that state… I guess I don't think we can leave…"

She gazed out of the window in front of her and sighed, the excitement that was so evident in her face faded. Even if it were a different city entirely, she still couldn't help remember the halloween back home.

Ringabel didn't like it. He cleared his throat, "I'm sure they won't mind if we take a little walk. I mean… You have never seen a halloween in Florem, and I would love to spend my first halloween here."

"Really?!" Her eyes lit up once again, and, before he could say a word, she grabbed his arms leading him outside. "Let's go!"

—

Ringabel's thoughts haunted him, they flashed in his brain every time he saw Edea smile. And she smiled at almost everything. As she tugged him along, as they knocked on each door and as she thank the person who gave her candy. She smiled. She was always one step ahead of him, skipping with a grin on her face. How he wished he could protect that smile. But he knew that reality was cold. That she was dead in his world. She was dead and she will die. It was as if his brain warned him not to get too close and yet here he was close to her. It hurt, standing next to her. And no matter how much he tried to ignore the thoughts they still creeped up behind him as if tapping his shoulder forcing him to turn around to face the truth.

He hated it, the memory he chased behind for so long was nothing but something to scare him. Seeing her smile usually made him feel satisfied, it brightened her beautiful face and he had thought it would make him feel happier. But all he felt was the guilt rack inside of him. That this smile will fade away one day. And it frightened him. What was he going to do if he loses her… Again?

On the way back, the streets were empty, everybody was gathered to for a beauty contest. Edea however decided that it was the best time to go back. She was looking through her bag filled to the brim with all kinds of sweets with different colored wrapping papers, she licked her lips, "So much candy!"

She slowed down and wore a sly smile, "Ringabel- trick or treat?"

Ringabel raised a brow, "Treat?"

"Alright! Close your eyes!" Ringabel did as she told him to and he could feel her nails tapping his lips, she slipped a small sweet-tasting treat in his mouth. It was definitely chocolate with a strawberry flavor.

"So what do you think?" She slipped of what he assumed was the same sweet in her mouth, "We have this back in Eternia and it's my favorite chocolate! Though Einheria hated this she said it's too sweet…"

"It definitely is too sweet," he started. "It is a flavor that fits you though, sweet and beautiful."

Edea couldn't help but smile, Ringabel didn't give her one of his usual compliments for a while so seeing him 'tease' her in this manner made her happy. He really is still the same Ringabel she first met.

"I think I-" Ringabel stopped himself before he said anymore. He wanted to say he had tasted it before, it felt nostalgic. Tasting it this time may not be the first time it touched his lips but it was his first memory of it. He felt slightly guilty for not telling her about her memories, but he knew that Edea didn't need to know. Not yet anyways.

Ringabel shook his head. "No, never mind."

"If you say so." She looked unconvinced. She wanted to ask what he was going to say, but she knew it was no use.

It was the most he talked recently and she was glad he was talking in the first place. He has been quiet… too quiet. And if Edea ever asked him if he was okay, he would fake a smile and tell her he was just fine. It wasn't a sly smirk but a really sad smile, and she hated it, so she didn't even ask after that. Afraid she would see a smile form on his face. When the time comes she knew he would tell her. So it wasn't time for her to pester him.

"You know, it was the first time I saw such a festive city besides Eternia in halloween!" Edea looked up at the streamers, "With everything going on… I guess we needed this. I am glad Tiz decided to stop here and I am glad you had a chance to experience such a holiday!"

"Indeed." Ringabel nodded. He stopped in his place, looked up and took in the sights of such a bright city. Even if the plaza was quiet, he couldn't help be amazed by the lights of all colors and the bright flowers. "I enjoyed it. The decorations… and to see the Florem celebrating in this state was stunning."

She giggled and turned to him, "Hey Ringabel, you haven't mentioned a single lady and how beautiful she looks, I see your standards are getting higher, huh?"

She teased him but he didn't laugh, it was not that he didn't find women stunning. It was just that his eyes was focused on one girl. The person standing right in front of him. As he looked at her she frowned, displeased with the silence.

"Huh? "No cheesy lines? Hello?" She waved her arms in front of him. "Are you alive Ringabel?"

She came closer to him looking at his face. She stood in front of him and Ringabel realized. That she was alive. Alive and in front of him. He wrapped his arms around her and brought her closer to him.

"R-Ringabel?" She whispered, "A-are you okay?"

—

The smile on her face faded, and her skin pale. Without thinking he grabbed her body. The warmth faded out of her. Her body was icy cold and her lips a light blue.

"Edea!" Ringabel yelled. "Edea… Hang in there!"

Ringabel repeated her name over and over again. But no matter how much yelled she didn't respond. His voice faded and he embraced her. He heard and felt no breath, not a voice and felt nothing but her cold body touch his fingertips. He knew she was dead, and never coming back to him.

She left him… Alone in this world.

—

"Please." He begged her, tightening his hug. "Don't leave me ever, please."

Edea didn't understand what was happening, it was too quick for her to comprehend. But she didn't push him away.

Edea voice softened, "What are you saying Ringabel? Tiz, Agnes and,me, as well, we are here for you. We aren't going anywhere. We are going to see this until the very-"

"No… I am talking about you." He whispered, "Only you, Edea."

Ringabel could smell the her perfume waft through the air, he felt her warmth right underneath his fingertips and her breath once again was tickling his skin. Reality wasn't that she was dead, it was she was alive In his arms at this moment. And he couldn't help feel happier. He had time. He still could save her even if his memories said otherwise.

"…Don't be silly. I am here and am not going anywhere." She murmured in response and returned the hug.

"Thank you… I wanna stay like this a bit…" Ringabel whispered in her ears, he dug his head into her shoulders and she didn't move a muscle.

Edea didn't refuse, she would usually make a fuss out of it but she… Liked it. It was unusual but perhaps this time, and only this time, it was an exception.


End file.
